A total of 45 preschool autistic children matched on cognitive level and classified into one of the three subtypes of autistic children (aloof, passive, active but odd) were rated on 109 items of social-communicative behavior pertaining to joint attention, social intent, imitation, turn-taking, emotional functioning, sense of self, social response, communicative initiation, basic conversational skills, and play skills. Comparisons of patterns of ratings across the three groups provided evidence of autism as a spectrum disorder, with the subtyping roughly representing different degrees of social deficits. Profiles of social ability for each subtype and implications for early intervention were drawn.

A total of 45 preschool autistic children matched on cognitive level and classified into one of the three subtypes of autistic children (aloof, passive, active but odd) were rated on 109 items of social-communicative behavior pertaining to joint attention, social intent, imitation, turn-taking, emotional functioning, sense of self, social response, communicative initiation, basic conversational skills, and play skills. Comparisons of patterns of ratings across the three groups provided evidence of autism as a spectrum disorder, with the subtyping roughly representing different degrees of social deficits. Profiles of social ability for each subtype and implications for early intervention were drawn.